Meet Boston Blackie (1941)

Recently, Turner Classic Movies has shown most of the Boston Blackie films and after having seen just about about all of them, this first appears to be the very best. I think much of this is the freshness and originality of the script. If you see it and remember it was the first of the series starring Chester Morris, the movie seems very fresh and exciting for the genre--with a great script and good doses of humor and excitement. However, many of the the wonderful things about this film were repeated again and again in later films and this is when the series began to wear a bit thin. The stupidity of the inspector and especially his assistant is funny, but not by the fifth or sixth or twelfth film--by then, it just seems....stupid. Plus, it makes sense that these two bumblers think that Blackie committed the murders--after all, Blackie had spent time in prison. However, when film after film after film Boston Blackie proves he is a good guy and solves the crimes, it really makes no sense at all that the original plot outline is STILL being followed--practically to the letter. As a result, I honestly think the average viewer is better off seeing just a few films from the series and not bothering to see them all.Now even if this formula is a bit too strict throughout most of the series, MEET BOSTON BLACKIE is still a very good film because it has an exciting plot. Instead of a movie about a jewel theft (a theme often repeated), it involves several murders and a spy ring--something very timely since the film was made just before the US entered WWII. Snappy dialog, great action and some amazing originality (at least in this point in the series)---all these come together to make an excellent B-detective film that's every bit as good as the best of Charlie Chan or The Saint.

The first installment of a third-rate detective series, featuring a former safe-cracker, Blackie (Chester Morris), his sidekick the Runt (Charles Wagenheim), and the impatient Inspector Farraday (Richard Lane). Crimes get pinned on Blackie so he has to sort them out. This time he acquires a pretty lady (Rochelle Hudson) when he commandeers her car, and she's almost a match for him. With a modicum of witty repartee, some excellent carnival locations, and an unusual villain (a master spy whose cover is playing a sideshow mechanical man), this one might have ascended from third to second rate, were it not for Morris's acting (mostly a matter of flashing a grin that looks too wide for his face) and his hat (its too-small brim accentuates his big square face and makes him look stupid amongst all the elegant, wide-brimmed hats worn by everybody else, even the weaselly villains).

Chester Morris is Boston Blackie, and his first appearance was aptly titled "Meet Boston Blackie" in 1941. There were 14 films in all produced by Columbia. In this first film, Blackie finds a corpse, Martin Vestrick, in his stateroom when the steamer he traveled back to the states on docks. Blackie and Runt (Charles Wagenheim) remember seeing the victim with a woman (Constance Worth) on the ship. They follow her to Coney Island where, at a exhibit of freaks, spies are meeting. Blackie attempts to talk with the woman on the Tunnel of Horrors ride, but she's murdered - and the killers almost get Blackie. He hijacks a car being driven by Cecilia Bradley (Rochelle Hudson) to get away. Meanwhile, Inspector Faraday now wants Blackie in connection with two murders, and Blackie is after spies.These are fast-moving films with some very witty dialogue. Morris is an expert at smooth comic delivery and cool under pressure, as well as Blackie's magic tricks, such as getting out of handcuffs. Hudson is very exotic looking and gives good support. Heartily recommended to put a smile on your face.

Blackie arrives back in the US (via steamer) only to find himself in trouble with the law again when he finds a corpse, Martin Vestrick, in his stateroom. Blackie trails Marilyn Howard, who was seen with Vestrick by Blackie and Runt on the ship, to Coney Island where a group of spies meet at the freak show exhibit. Marilyn is later killed when she goes on the Tunnel of Horrors ride with Blackie, and the same killers go after our hero. Blackie forces a ride with Cecelia Bradley, an innocent bystander, and the two manage to elude the killers. Inspector Faraday, in the meantime, goes after Blackie for the murder of Marilyn, while Blackie, Cecelia, and the Runt try to unravel the spy activities at the amusement park. Nice opening to this 14 film series, with Chester Morris providing the jovial attitude seen in his other movies and beneficial to the character (also nice to see some of Morris' magic tricks as well). Rochelle Hudson was very beautiful here and lent fine support. I was impressed with Florey's direction and Planer's camera-work giving us some interesting perspectives and camera angles. My beef with this film was that there was little action with the villains in the movie, seeing the case from Blackie's perspective. Next film in the series: Confessions of Boston Blackie. Rating, 8.